In response to an Israeli who claims to be a Peace Activist

Dear Noa,

YOU said. "I have seen the peace process rise and fall..."
I say, let's be honest about this, there has never once been an honest attempt by Israel for a peace process but instead there has been ever increasing human rights violations poured down on the Palestinian people disguised as "protecting Israel against the enemy."

YOU said, "That enemy is fanaticism ... All have fallen to this destructive, horrible fanaticism at some point in their histories and the results have been devastating."
Yes, I say that fanaticism is a horrific extreme in any form however, the oppressed, deprived, abused, victims of Palestine are far from fanatics. They are simply fighting for their right to survive and hope to one day thrive again in their own land. This is land where their ancestors have lived and farmed for centuries. I have been in Palestine! I lived in Palestine! My husband is Palestinian. I expereinced the abusive behavior by the IFD myself alongside my Palestinian family while I was there. I KNOW what it feels like to be treated like a cockroach by an elite armed force by a FANATICAL government that has no intention of peace with the Palestinian people but instead a master plan to irradicate them from existence so they can take over the entire region for more incoming immigrants Jews from around the world.

YOU said, "I have often spoken out against fanaticism in my country, ........ I see it’s black eyes and spine-chilling smile, I see blood on its hands and I know one of its many names: Hamas."
For your information, Hamas was democratically elected by the Palestinian people in Gaza to govern and lead them as much as could be done within the confines of Israel's apartheid walls. You see, Gaza, is nothing more than a ghetto, a walled in open air prison. Life in your home by the Sea could never compare to life under occupaiton. Israel has always been in control of this situation allowing and disallowing food, medicine, water, electricity, and other essential things needed for a common life whenever it pleased. Israel has pushed and tortured and punished the people of Gaza and all of Palestine to try it best to provoke anykind of meagar attack do that they could go in and demolish hundreds and thousands.

YOU said, "You know it is raping your women and raping the minds of your children. You know it is educating to hatred and death. You know it is chauvinistic and violent, greedy and selfish, it feeds on your blood and screams out Allah’s name on vain, it hides like a thief, uses the innocent as human shields, uses your mosques as arsenals, lies and cheats, uses YOU, tortures you, holds you hostage!!"
I say, you know nothing about Islamic culture, Arab culture, Palestinian culture at all. You know nothing of how women are admired, honored and treated like jewels. You know nothing of the strong Arab women I know (Muslim and Christian) who are professionals, who are executives, who are medical doctors, who are teachers, mothers.

YOU said, "I know you are SICK of being held hostage by this demon, this ugly beast, .....I have watched it miss so many opportunities, and as a citizen of this country I am the first to admit it and criticize its foolery. ....."
I say, "Why do you think it is just to wall in an entire ethnic group of people who are indigenous to a region, torture them by building beautiful settlements in view of their eyes on land stolen from them, construct super highways that they are not allowed to used, oppress them, cut them off from any means of making a decent living, imprison them on a whim for any reason at all including children, bulldoze down their homes for any obscure or made up reason, brutalize them at checkpoints and even torture them in front of other Palestinians, obliterate them hundreds at a time because they tried to fight for their right to exist, .................... NO justice - No peace ----- ever heard of Ilan Palle

YOU said, "Enough my brother …." Do you treat your brothers this way?

YOU said, "you want some coffee? Here, sit for a while…lets talk….we know the words, we know the songs, we know the road…."
I say, any Palestinian that I know would love to simply drive or walk to your home to sit with you in a civilized manner to drink coffee, sing, talk, laugh, contemplate life, etc..... but, unfortunately they are being held captivate to Israeli imposed apartheid. Israel would be a beautiful place if the Palestinians also had such a luxury as to simply be able to come visit you to sit and drink coffee. What a luxury to have such freedom!

Sincerely,
Roro Faraj,
Christian, American, Palestinian at heart, who loves all people of all belief systems all over the world.

Views: 307

Replies are closed for this discussion.

Replies to This Discussion

I see we have two messages that crossed--

I wanted to reply to your question..if i agree or not..
-----------------------------------
Des,

Israel should not be shunned. I believe there is room for protest.

I believe protests can often be a political action and should take the broader political implications into consideration.

I can protest for stopping the war, for cease fire, for humanitarian aid.

I can agree with writing letters of protest concerning specific incidents, writing articles about the missed opportunities israel may have had, etc, etc

Protesting against Israel per se, may be construed by Iran, by Hamas, by other politcal groups as support for them and the role they are playing here.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it..But i feel i have to be more careful than that.

Like i said, this fighting is part of a bigger picture.
------------------------
Now i note you only write about "shunning actions". Yes there are actions that should be shunned..and other not..

If you are going to "shun actions"-- pls add some actions, clear violation of international law, by hamas to your list.

i feel my job is to develop more empathy with the people on both sides. This is particarly improtant in my home..in Israel. Here i must stress how this system of retaliation and escalation is not the way..how we must be more self critical.

People overseas have a different role to play. So, look into your heart and your mind and develop the way you feel is best.

Des, the spectrum here at IPEACE is amazing and challenging. I know you come from an open mind and desire to learn what is really happening. I can only trust that you will continue that search, even through these darkest moments, and that you will use what you learn after the clouds clear..and the parties here (hopefully) try to build a new reality.
Des,

There is a conflict, maybe more than one..between israel and some of its neighbors (Wow! is that refreshing..once it was between Israel and ALL of its neighbors)...
the global conflicts, the interests, Iran, US, Russia, are being played out using Israelis and Palestinians as pawns...

Egypt, Jordan, Fatah, European governments have their perspective about where Hamas shoud be.. These goverments are effected by the mood on the street.
I can understand people who distrust the US interests here..I think that the Egyptian intitiatives must be supported.

Protesting only against Israeli actions just strengthens the old-style of politics in the region. Regional calm and development is dependant on rational, balance and pragmatic work.

Feel the pain..Cry out against it..But cry out for the fuutre..Support regional intiatives meant to create frameworks of stability that can lead to development and Palestinian independance.
Dearest Ruach,

You ask "Do you honestly think the men and women of palestine could openly face Israel in a war that follows the Geneva convention"

The answer is..Yes.

The entire Arab world openly faced israel in war..when israel agreed to Partition plan.The refugees in Gaza should have been citizens of the Palestinian state. They would have been living in Beer Sheva, the Israel town they now shell. (Beer Sheva was to be part of the Palestinian State that never got established..)

Now there are Arab states who openly accept Israel. They want to put an end to this terrible tragedy. Egypt has been working hard. It is worth noting that these countries, while knowing to denounce Israel also know that Hamas is "not clean" either, to say the least.

Ruach, you know i don't like to get into blaming and counter blaming..but i believe that a balanced view is necessary to help move ahead. Egyptian initiatives for a cease fire depend on Palestinians accepting important points to help make the future different. For this reason their leadership can not just be left off the hook. (And, of course Palestinain Fatah leadership would agree with this moreso.)
Ruach, Don't worry-- I am the last one who wants to silence you.

I agree that emotion is biased..it looks and reacts to the NOW..

I don't know if i would say that emotions are "unclear" If anything emotions seem "overlyclear" They don't appreciate the fuzziness of the situation, or the inticracies of the story.

I know that the emotions come from a place of honesty and empathy..and they have a real important role to play in getting people to wake up. They can also be signs of commitment and dedication to move forward.

This dedication must be to a vision that looks beyond the now. Stopping the fighting now means joining in some common framework to work towards that future.

I know that we share a common vision for the future..that future of light, along with our common feelings of pain now bind us deeply.

thanks
myron
Myron,
There is no excuse for the way the Palestinian people have been treated for the last 60 years and that is it. No excuse. I abore all human righst violations, all of them. What Israel has been imposing on the Palestinian people is horrible. I am so dissappointed...
I appreciate you addition of "(govenment)" ;-) yet, to simply say.."it is simple, the detials and analysis are a distraction" seems to me irresponsible.

What does this word "reponsible" mean..To simpy respond and react to the immediate pain, with the clear and emotional cry to Israel STOP NOW? or to be answerable, to take responsibility and give a reply that asks "how will i change the future".

A cry to ALL "STOP ALL VIOLENCE NOW", put aside weapons of aggression. Mutual recognition and dialogue NOW ..is the way to start.

Don't you think Hamas must accept a cease fire?

If Israel unilaterally stops its actions, how many rockets will have to fly until your heart knows its simple task?
I am bound to this situation..
Locked in sorrow
Caught between my struggle for Peace
and our struggle to exist.

As Ruach, i agree that this emotions, honest and empathetic ARE an important ingrediant. They are not the whole recipe.
Israel must first do the right, humain thing! Israel is the aggressor and the oppressor in this situation. This United States is also to blame in this. I am so ashamed that this has been allowed to happen for so long!
This has been happening for decades..it is not "this situation"..It is the entire situation and all to many have their hands filthy from it.
As if Israel were the least bit defenseless against Hamas. Give me a break! DENIAL, denial, denial......
Nothing justifies what Israel is doing in Gaza right now! NOTHING!
I am not justifying anything. There is no reason for me to repeat what i said above.

RSS

Latest Activity

Lucy Williams updated their profile
Jul 5, 2023
Sandra Gutierrez Alvez updated their profile
Oct 1, 2022
DallasBoardley updated their profile
Feb 8, 2022
RADIOAPOLLON1242 AIGOKEROS PANOS updated their profile
Feb 2, 2022
Shefqet Avdush Emini updated their profile
Jul 2, 2021
Ralph Corbin updated their profile
Jun 25, 2021
Marques De Valia updated their profile
Mar 24, 2021
SSEAYP - South-East Asian Youth liked David Califa's discussion Flash Banners Here
Feb 29, 2020

© 2024   Created by David Califa. Managed by Eyal Raviv.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service